Nintendo 3DS Japan Launch: Feb. 26, ¥25,000

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Nintendo 3DS Japan Launch: Feb. 26, ¥25,000

Nintendo will release its 3DS on February 26 in Japan for 25,000 yen (approx. $300), it said Wednesday.

At a press briefing in Tokyo, Nintendo said that the new portable game machine, which displays games with 3-D stereoscopic graphics without the need for special glasses, will feature a variety of new online features. A service called "Itsu no Ma ni Tsuushin" (loosely, "Connection Room") will let players download 3-D videos produced in partnership with Fuji as well as free software and information from Nintendo.

A 3DS version of Wii's Virtual Console classic game download service will feature games from the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, as well as classic console games updated with 3-D graphics.

(Update: Although some blogs originally reported that Nintendo mentioned Game Boy Advance at the press conference, the official site only shows Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles, meaning that GBA games may not have actually been announced.)

A new Mii channel will allow players to create Miis by taking their photograph and putting it on the 3-D avatars.

The 3DS will come bundled with a 2GB SD card.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that details on the 3DS launch in territories outside Japan will be discussed at a later date.